Auckland police managed three separate gatherings in the central city on Saturday. Tens of thousands attended the Diwali festival at Aotea Square. Nearby, Destiny Church supporters rallied at Te Komititanga Square. Authorities feared a disruption to the festival, so police blocked Queen Street. The church group instead marched to the Indian Consulate General. There, a leader attached a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the entrance doors. The group then dispersed, allowing traffic to resume. A smaller protest also occurred, displaying Palestinian and Iranian flags to highlight Middle East conflicts.
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Illustrative photo, not from the original report · Photo by Daniel Bernard on UnsplashPersecuted church
Police in Napier, New Zealand, arrested a 47-year-old man following three suspicious fires on Monday morning. The incidents began around 12:50 am with a blaze on Raffles Street, followed by significant damage to St Paul's Presbyterian Church on Tennyson Street. A third fire occurred in a Market Street alleyway. The suspect was identified via CCTV and faces charges of wilfully setting fire and arson. While the church co-minister Mark Johnston reported extensive structural damage, no injuries were reported. The man has been remanded in custody and is scheduled to appear in Napier District Court on 18 November. Police continue to investigate the remaining two scenes.
Ryan Carey, born into the Geelong Revival Centre in Australia, left the Pentecostal church in 2020 after experiencing an environment of fear and control. He and his wife Catherine co-founded Stop Religious Coercion Australia to support abuse survivors. Their advocacy contributed to a Victorian parliamentary inquiry, which released a landmark report in July proposing to criminalize group-based coercive control. Carey is now speaking at New Zealand's DeCult conference to discuss his experiences and the challenges of leaving such groups. The outlet notes that resources are available for those seeking help.
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